WU-Minn HCP 1200 Subjects Data Release:
Reference Manual
Appendix VI – Task fMRI and tMEG E-Prime
Key Variables
1 March 2017
1200 Subjects Reference Manual – Appendix VI | WU-Minn Consortium of the NIH Human Connectome Project
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Table of Contents
tfMRI E-Prime Key Variables .................................................................................................. 3
Gambling ............................................................................................................................ 3
Emotion Processing ........................................................................................................... 3
Motor .................................................................................................................................. 4
Relational Processing ......................................................................................................... 5
Social Cognition ................................................................................................................. 5
Language Processing ......................................................................................................... 6
Working Memory ................................................................................................................ 7
tMEG E-Prime Key Variables and Associated Trigger Codes ................................................. 8
Working Memory ................................................................................................................ 8
Language Processing (Story-Math) ...................................................................................10
Motor .................................................................................................................................12
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tfMRI E-Prime Key Variables
This document provides the definitions of the key variables set in E-Prime for HCP Task fMRI
for each task in the HCP protocol. For tfMRI analysis, one needs to know the timing and task
condition for each trial presented. Key variables in the E-Prime data files provide the information
to determine this for each trial. The following E-Prime ‘data dictionary’ allows the user to know
how to compute timing and define task conditions in different ways from what HCP has provided
in the TAB.txt files for each task run
Gambling

Procedure[Block] - establishes list of total number of blocks and type of block,
predominantly reward or predominantly punishment trial types

Procedure[Trial] - establishes current type for each trial within block, allows recognition
of "FixationBlockPROC" events

TrialType - establishes "Reward","Punishment","Neutral" designation for correct EV
category sorting

QuestionMark.OnsetTime - onset time of presentation of current trial in ms from script
startup

SyncSlide.OnsetTime – onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

QuestionMark.RT - establishes time of response after question mark appears prompting
for user input, also establishes if no response was made
Emotion Processing

Procedure - Used to discriminate between "InitialTR", "TrialsPROC",
"ShapesPromptPROC", "FacePromtPROC" and also assign correct events to "Faces"
and "Shapes" EV's

StimSlide.OnsetTime[Block] or StimSlide.OnsetTime - onset time of presentation of
current trial in ms from script startup

StimSlide.ACC[Block] or StimSlide.ACC - used for summary statistics only
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
SyncSlide.OnsetTime - onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

StimSlide.RT or StimSlide.RT[Block] - used for summary statistics only
Motor

Procedure[Block] - Used to discriminate between "CountDownPROC" and "MOTORrun"
trial blocks

Procedure[Trial] - Used to discriminate between left hand, foot, right hand, foot
conditions to assign trials to appropriate EV's

LeftHandCue.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for cue prior to left hand block

LeftFootCue.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for cue prior to left foot block

RightHandCue.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for cue prior to right hand block

RightFootCue.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for cue prior to right foot block

TongueCue.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for cue prior to tongue block

CrossLeft.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for individual movements in left hand
and left foot EV's, foot or hand designation is decided by the cue.OnsetTime

CrossRight.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for individual movements in the right
hand and right foot EV's, foot or hand designation is decided by cue.OnsetTime

CrossCenter.OnsetTime - Used to establish timing for individual movements in the
tongue condition

SyncSlide.OnsetTime or CountDownSlide.OnsetTime - onset time of countdown slides
before task; the first row in the SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the
first TR in E-Prime clock; to ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted
from clock time for other trials
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Relational Processing

Procedure - used to distinguish between "InitialTR" and trials ending in "-PROC"

RelationalSlide.ACC - used to record accuracy for "Relational" trials, used in summary
statistics and to establish error.txt EV

ControlSlide.ACC - used to record accuracy for "Control" trials, used in summary
statistics and to establish error.txt EV

RelationalSlide.OnsetTime - records timing for "Relational" type events for EV

ControlSlide.OnsetTime - records timing for "Control" type events for EV

RelationalSlide.RT - used in summary statistics, and to detect "NLR"

ControlSlide.RT - used in summary statistics, and to detect "NLR"

SyncSlide.OnsetTime - onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

RelationalPrompt.OnsetTime - used to account for "Relational" trial cue timing and
detect start of new block

ControlPrompt.OnsetTime - used to account for "Control" trial cue timing and detect start
of new block
Social Cognition

Procedure - Used to detect "CountDownPROC" opposed to "SOCIALrunPROC"

Type - Used to sort trials by "Mental","Random"

MovieSlide.OnsetTime - Used to establish onset of trials

CountDownSlide.OnsetTime - onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in
the SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

ResponseSlide.RESP - used to detect "NLR" and sort responses based on
"mental","random","uncertain" to sort trials into correct EV's by response type

ResponseSlide.RT - used in summary statistics
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Language Processing

Procedure[Block] - used to sort events by "StoryProc", "MathProc", "DummyProc",
"PresentChangePROC"; “DummyProc” is the final, open-ended block of math trials

GetReady.FinishTime - onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

SubBlock - Used to track number of trials presented before task change

PresentStoryFile.OnsetTime - Onset timing for presentation of story audio file to
participant

PresentMathFile.OnsetTime - Onset timing for presentation of math problem to
participant

PresentStoryFile.OffsetTime - Offset timing for end of presentation of story audio file

PresentMathFile.OnsetTime - Offset timing for end of presentation of math problem to
participant

ResponsePeriod.OnsetTime - Onset timing for start of response period where the
participant is allowed to answer the question posed

ResponsePeriod.OffsetTime - Offset timing for the end of the response period where the
participant is allowed to answer

ThatWasAbout.OnsetTime - Onset timing for the question posed after story audio
presentation

ThatWasAbout.OffsetTime - Offset timing for the question posed after story audio
presentation, end of question

PresentMathOptions.OnsetTime - Onset timing for the question posed after math
problem audio presentation

PresentMathOptions.OffsetTime - Onset timing for the question posted after math
problem audio presentations

FilteredTrialStats.ACC - Used for summary statistics only

FilteredTrialStats.RTFromFirstOption - Used for summary statistics and to establish
"NLR" trials
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Working Memory

Procedure[Block] - used to detect changes from "TRSyncPROC" to "TrialsPROC"

BlockType - used to establish "0-back" and "2-back" block designations

StimType - used to establish type of stimuli presented - "faces","places","tools","body
parts"

Stim.OnsetTime - used to establish timing information for trials when the stimulus was
presented

Stim.ACC - used for summary statistics

Cue2Back.OnsetTime - used to establish cue onset timing for "2-back" trials, start of a
block

CueTarget.OnsetTime - used to establish cue onset timing for "0-back" trials, start of a
block

SnycSlide.OnsetTime- onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first TR in E-Prime clock; to
ensure correct EV timing, that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials

Stim.RT - used for summary statistics and to establish "NLR" trials

CorrectResponse or Stim.CRESP - used to compare against subject responses for "err"
EV's

Stim.Resp or Stim.RESP - used to compare against correct responses for "err" EV's

TargetType: identifies individual trials as “lure”, “nonlure”, or “target” (see Reference
Manual for description of those categories)
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tMEG E-Prime Key Variables and Associated Trigger
Codes
This document provides the definitions of the key variables set in E-Prime for HCP Task MEG
for each of the three tasks in the HCP MEG protocol. For tMEG analysis, one needs to know the
timing and task condition for each trial presented. Key variables in the E-Prime data files provide
the information to determine this for each trial. The following E-Prime ‘data dictionary’ provides
information needed to compute timing and define task conditions (in different ways from what
HCP has provided as preprocessed tMEG data) from the *.tab/*.xlsx response output files for
each task run. Column headers describe events, and the timing of events is reported in
milliseconds elapsed from the start of E-Prime script or in the case of certain reaction times from
the start of a response period, are reported in rows along with other characteristics of the event.
Additional E-Prime trigger codes (TriggerCode[Trial]) are sent to, and superimposed on, the
TRIGGER channel of the MEG record. These should align with event timing from the display
projection photodiode (adding to the binary 0 [off] or 256 [on]).
See the Task MEG files and protocol details section of the 1200 Subjects Reference Manual
for more information on the protocols and for the photodiode trigger codes that also appear in
the raw data TRIGGER channel for each task. See the section tMEG Channel-level Analysis
Pipelines – How was the E-Prime trigger sequence reproduced for the scans in which no
parallel port triggers were recorded? for further explanation of the differences between the EPrime and photodiode trigger codes.
Working Memory

SyncSlide.OnsetTime- onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first fixation after instructions have
been given, in the E-Prime elapsed millisecond clock. To ensure correct epoch timing
this value can be subtracted from the clock time for other trials to set a t=0 that will
match the other data.

Procedure[Block] - used to detect changes from:
o
“TRSyncPROC” ( a pre-task countdown) to
o
“Cue0BackPROC” (start of a zero-back block including the target image) to
o
“Cue2BackPROC” (start of a two-back block with no image) to
o
“TrialsPROC” (start of each trial, see StimType and TargetType for category, and
Stimulus[Block] for exact image presented)
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
BlockType - text, used to establish "0-back" and "2-back" block designations

StimType - text, used to establish type of stimuli presented - "faces" or “tools"

Stim.OnsetTime - Start of stimulus presentation per trial, timing should match up to dual
trigger channel spikes from parallel port and photodiode.

Stim.ACC - used for summary statistics; (1=correct 0=incorrect)

Cue2Back.OnsetTime - used to establish cue onset timing for "2-back" trials, start of a
block

CueTarget.OnsetTime - used to establish cue onset timing for "0-back" trials, start of a
block

Fix.OnsetTime – onset of fixation point between trials

Fix15sec.OnsetTime – onset of fixation point between blocks, for subject to rest

FeelFreeToRest.OnsetTime – is a marker for the final "hold still" slide at completion of
run; additional time may contain motion etc.

Stim.RT - reaction time from start of response period in a single trial

Stim.RTTime – reaction time from start of E-Prime clock

CorrectResponse or Stim.CRESP - integer "7" or "8" used to compare against subject
responses for "error" epochs

Stim.Resp or Stim.RESP - integer "7" or "8" used to compare against correct responses
for "error" epochs

TargetType: identifies individual trials as “lure”, “nonlure”, or “target” (see 500 Subjects
Reference Manual Details of the tMEG Working Memory task – Stimulus Overview
for description of those categories)

Stimulus[Block] – unique image filename presented; may help in troubleshooting.

TriggerCode[Trial] - indicates the additional E-Prime encoded trigger stamped on the
raw data trigger channel; rides on signal from the display projection photodiode (adding
to the binary 0 [off] or 256 [on]).
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Working Memory E-Prime Trigger Codes
Parallel Port Descriptor
<256 code on MEG
Fixation cross
2
0-back nontarget faces
10
0-back target faces
14
0-back lure faces
12
0-back nontarget tools
42
0-back target tools
46
0-back lure tools
44
2-back nontarget faces
74
2-back target faces
78
2-back lure faces
76
2-back nontarget tools
106
2-back target tools
110
2-back lure tools
108
Language Processing (Story-Math)

SyncSlide.OnsetTime- onset time of countdown slides before task; the first row in the
SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the onset of the first fixation after instructions have
been given, in E-Prime elapsed millisecond clock. To ensure correct epoch timing this
value can be subtracted from clock time for other trials to set a t=0 that will match other
data.

Procedure[Block] - used to detect changes from
o
PracticePROC ( a pre-task countdown) to
o
StoryPROC (start of a zero-back block including the target image) to
o
MathPROC (start of a two-back block with no image)

StimType – text, used to establish type of stimuli presented - "story" or "math"

Stim.OnsetTime – Start of stimulus presentation per trial, timing should match up to dual
trigger channel spikes from parallel port and photodiode.

Stim.ACC - used for summary statistics; (1=correct 0=incorrect)
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
Fix.OnsetTime – onset of fixation point between trials

Fix.OnsetTime – onset of fixation point between trials

Fix15sec.OnsetTime – onset of fixation point between blocks, for subject to rest

FeelFreeToRest.OnsetTime – is a marker for the final "hold still" slide at completion of
run; additional time may contain motion etc.

Stim.RT – reaction time from start of response period in a single trial

Stim.RTTime – reaction time from start of E-Prime clock

CorrectResponse or Stim.CRESP - integer "7" or "8" used to compare against subject
responses for "error" epochs

Stim.Resp or Stim.RESP - integer "7" or "8" used to compare against correct responses
for "error" epochs

TargetType: identifies individual trials as “story”, or “math” (see 1200 Subjects Reference
Manual Details of the tMEG Language Processing (Story-Math) task – Stimulus
Overview for description of those categories)

MathFile, StoryFile – unique audio filename presented; may help in troubleshooting.
o
Option1, Option2, text choices for responses presented (on the left for first
option, on the right for second option)
o
StoryOption1, StoryOption2, audio choices for responses presented

ChangingBlockTypeTo - audio file indicating to the participant whether the upcoming
block will be story type or math type

TriggerCode[Trial] - indicates the additional E-Prime encoded trigger stamped on the
raw data trigger channel.
Language Processing (Story-Math) E-Prime Trigger Codes
Parallel Port Descriptor
<256 code on MEG
TrigCodStroryMathNumLevel
128
TrigCodStoryCue
96
TrigCodMathCue
112
TrigCodStoryBase
32
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TrigCodStoryTrigStart
24
TrigCodStoryTrig
26
TrigCodStoryEndWait
16
TrigCodStoryThat
14
TrigCodStoryOptUnCor
12
TrigCodStoryOptCor
10
TrigCodStoryOR
8
TrigCodStoryResp
2
TrigCodMathBase
64
TrigCodMathQuestBlock
16
TrigCodMathQuestTrig
8
TrigCodMathEqualBlockUnCor
8
TrigCodMathEqualBlockCor
0
TrigCodMathEqualTrig
4
TrigCodMathResp
2
Motor

SyncSlide.OnsetTime - the first row in the SyncSlide.OnsetTime column reflects the
onset of the first stamp after start of experiment in E-Prime clock; to ensure correct
timing that value should be subtracted from clock time for other trials.

CrossLeft.OnsetTime - Arrow on the display points to the left, used to establish timing for
individual movements in left hand and left foot events, foot or hand designation is
decided by the cue.OnsetTime and motion is initiated by the participant to match the cue
of each trial.

CrossRight.OnsetTime - Arrow on the display points to the right, used to establish timing
for individual movements in right hand and right foot events, foot or hand designation is
decided by the cue.OnsetTime and motion is initiated by the participant to match the cue
of each trial.

Fixdot.OnsetTime - centered dot presented to allow participant to briefly relax their body
(and fixate) before the next block.

LeftFootCue.OnsetTime - slide displays the words "Left Foot" to start a block of motions.
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
LeftHandCue.OnsetTime - slide displays the words "Left Hand" to start a block of
motions.

RightFootCue.OnsetTime - slide displays the words "Right Foot" to start a block of
motions.

RightHandCue.OnsetTime - slide displays the words "Right Hand" to start a block of
motions.

Procedure[Trial] - indicates the trial type of 362 trials including fixation.

TriggerCode[Trial] - indicates the additional E-Prime encoded trigger stamped on the
raw data trigger channel; rides on signal from the display projection photodiode (adding
to the binary 0 [off] or 256 [on]):
Motor E-Prime Trigger Codes
Parallel Port Descriptor
<256 code on MEG
TrigCodFixation
2
TrigCodLeftFoot
38
TrigCodLeftFootCue
34
TrigCodLeftHand
22
TrigCodLeftHandCue
18
TrigCodRightFoot
134
TrigCodRightFootCue
130
TrigCodRightHand
70
TrigCodRightHandCue
66
TriggerCode[Session]
7
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